


Educating Neely

by SexySuitcase



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drinking, Drunk Sex, F/M, First Time, Marauders' Era, Sexual Content, Slow Build, Teen Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-01-22 02:52:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12471840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SexySuitcase/pseuds/SexySuitcase
Summary: All Neely Danton wanted was to finish her seventh and final year at Hogwarts in peace. But, of course, the Ministry threw them a curve ball and now they were forced to learn a semester of Sexual Education. Which wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that Sirius Black decided to make her last year one that she'll never forget.





	1. Schedules

_**Educating Neely** _

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Neely Danton wasn’t exactly a model student. She got good marks, managed to hold her head up even in the most difficult classes but her laziness usually got the best of her. Despite this, she loved the first day of school where Professor McGonagall would stand before them and hand out their schedules for the upcoming year. This year was no different for the seventeen year old and she sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, joined by her best friend who did not share her enjoyment of the first day of school.

 

Malcolm, who refused to answer anything other than Mal, groaned out a yawn and dropped his head on the space on the table where his breakfast plate has just disappeared from. He scowled at Neely from over the top of his arm. “How can you be so excited this early?” He asked, pushing his face back toward the table to hide his scowl.

 

Neely waved him off and watched the tables where all the Professor’s sat, eating breakfast and talking amongst themselves. They looked a bit older, as if they had aged years over the summer break. McGonagall had sat through the entire dinner the night before, barely eating and avoiding the student’s gaze. It had gone unnoticed by most of the students...but not Neely. She definitely felt a different charge through the air this year. It only made the bubble of excitement inside her grow. She turned back to Mal and laid her chin over his elbow.

 

“What if we have every class together like we did in fourth year?” She asked excitedly, grinning down at her best friend. Mal rolled his eyes and jerked his arm away from her face, making her tip over on the bench. Her hands hit the cobblestone floor just as a pair of hands hooked around her hips, lifting her back up. She whirled around, blinking in surprise as her rescuer held her tighter as he grinned.

 

“Neely, are you falling for me?” Sirius Black asked as Neely stepped out of his grip with a roll of her eyes. She sat back down next to Mal and glared up at the boy who she had never liked. It seemed that after a particularly embarrassing incident in 3rd, Sirius had made it his Hogwart’s mission to annoy her in any way imaginable. And this year, he was starting on the very first day of classes. Couldn’t she catch a break, just once?

 

“In your dreams.” She muttered, turning her back to him and ignoring the laughs he shared with his three friends. Before she could return to her conversation with Mal, a voice at her ear made her start. “How did you know?” Sirius whispered, his lips far too close to her earlobe. With a grimace, she ducked away from him and swatted at his shoulder as he dodged and hurried to catch up with group of boys who never seemed to leave each other’s sides. Ugh, that insufferable prat! Just being that close to him made her want to shower again. There was no telling where that mouth had been.

 

Shuddering at the thought of what Sirius Black could have possibly been kissing since arriving at Hogwarts the night before, Neely turned back to Mal and plopped her chin in her hands. “He is so annoying.” Mal said nothing and by the look of his steady breathing, she concluded that he was asleep. She decided to add her best friend to the growing list of annoying boys at Hogwarts and decided to pass the time by counting how many times Nearly Headless Nick passed their table and greeted all the first years.

 

It wasn’t much longer before the Heads of the Houses stood from the breakfast table and called for silence among the Great Hall. Neely shook Mal’s arm, waking him with a squeal she managed to contain behind her pursed lips. Professor McGonagall was the one to address them and she held a hand up, her face pinched almost as if she were feeling quite miserable about the whole situation. “First years, line up!” Her words were clipped and her heels echoed throughout the Great Hall as she stepped around the table, tapping her wand on the stack of parchment papers.

 

As the youngsters rushed to line up before the tables, Mal laid his head back down and closed his eyes. On the other side of him, Neely glanced to see the grinning face of Sirius Black, giving her what she assumed was his sweetest smile possible. It only made her wrinkle her nose and turn to study her fingernails, wondering what color would be the best to paint them next, pointedly ignoring the boy who she could feel was still looking her way. McGonagall went through the names quickly and Neely watched the first years gather in groups, excitedly discussing their class schedule for the years. One of the boys, a rather pudgy blonde boy, groaned as he had Flying first thing in the morning.

 

Neely recalled her first year where she experienced Flying for the first time. She had been awful at it. For weeks, she had spent her spare time picking splinters out of her hands, rolling her eyes as Mal soared over her head, a natural on his broom. She didn’t even know why they had to learn flying on brooms. It was such an outdated practice. Barbaric, even.

 

A sudden chill ran down her neck and Neely looked up, feeling someone staring at her. She scanned the other tables but found no eyes on her. That is, until she turned back to the right and Sirius sat with his chin in his palm, his gaze still staring at her from over the top of Mal’s sleeping head. “You’re so creepy.” Neely said with a roll of her eyes.

 

Sirius slid closer to Mal, completely ignoring the boy as he peeked out from under his mop of blonde hair. “Why do you say that?”

 

“Because you’re staring at me like a total creeper.”

 

Sirius put on his best attempt at an innocent smile and shrugged. “Is it a crime to smile at someone now?”

 

“It should be.” She retorted, sticking her nose in the air slightly to look down at him. He was unfazed by her snobbery and only scratched at the stubble across his chin.

 

“Then, whenever I see you, I’ll frown.” His smile dropped into the most over dramatic frown she had ever seen and despite the fact that Neely wanted to roll her eyes and ignore him, she laughed. Pressing her hand to her mouth, she turned away from him and tried to focus instead on what McGonagall was saying. The sixth years were already lining up and Neely felt her stomach drop to the bench beneath her. They would be next! In less than twenty minutes, her schedule would be in her hands and her last year at Hogwarts would be laid out before her. She crossed her fingers, hoping she and Mal had at least _one_ class together. The sixth years thinned out quickly, with girls gathering together at the doors to compare classes and cheering.

 

“Ladies, keep it moving.” McGonagall called out as she handed off the last of the schedules. The entire Great Hall was empty except for those preparing to start their last years at the school. Neely gripped Mal’s arm above his elbow, her heart beating fast as she grinned like mad. He groaned and twisted out of her grip, rubbing the spot over his sleeve with a scowl. “Jeez, you’re far too strong for a girl.” He grumbled.

 

As the last of the sixth years exited and the doors shut behind them, a hush fell over the group and all houses looked to the Headmistress as she stared out at them all. “I will call you alphabetically. Please hold _all_ questions until the end.” She snatched the top sheet of parchment from the table and called out the name. “Aaron.” What questions could they possibly have? The tension that had been buzzing through the professors that morning had extended out into the crowd and even Sirius and his annoying, big mouthed friends were quiet as they waited. The first boy to be called stepped up to the Headmistress, took his schedule and turned back to the tables. He only walked one step before his face paled and he hesitated.

 

Neely sat up straighter as she watched him sit back down at his Hufflepuff table. His friends gathered around him quickly, their whispers hushed and urgent as they passed around his schedule. What the hell was going on? “Andrews.” McGonagall called and a Slytherin girl stood, making her way nervously to the front of the room. The same things happened again, and again, with each student visibly shaken as they got their schedules until Sirius Black was called.

 

With his in his hands, he turned back to McGonagall, saying something too quiet for anyone to hear. The Headmistress quickly dismissed him back to the table and a crowd quickly gathered around him, all silent as they read over his classes. “Danton.” Neely felt her stomach roll and her heart fluttered wildly in her chest. She stood on shaking knees and smoothed her skirt down around her knees. McGonagall looked at her from under the brim of her hat, pleading with her to just take the schedule and sit down. She looked utterly miserable.

 

Neely took the parchment and read down the class list as she walked. Defense Against The Dark Arts, Potions, History of Magic, her N.E.W.T level Charms and Astronomy followed by an elective she didn’t remember signing up for; Sexual Education?! Neely fell back onto the bench with her jaw hanging open at the two words written into her extra hour at the end of the day. She must be seeing things. There was no way they were being forced to take a Sexual Education class!

 

Mal snatched the schedule from her hands and read through it, nearly choking as he came to the last class. “What the…” He muttered, shaking his head as he looked at her.

 

Across his lap, her paper was once against snatched and Sirius held his up in comparison. Neely leaned over Mal to look over them as well. They had no classes together aside from the last hour of the day. Perfect. She would have to endure the world’s most embarrassing class with the one human being who had made it his life’s mission to embarrass her. Had she done something in a past life to deserve this? “Reed.” McGonagall called Mal’s name and he hurried to his feet, leaving Neely to gape down at the two class lists in front of her.

 

Once he returned, he let her see his and she felt her hopes dash against the rocks. He was assigned to Sexual Education the hour before her. Neely groaned and put her head on his shoulder, trying to think of any excuse to get out of this class. Maybe McGonagall would have mercy on her soul and slip her into the hour before. Anything to get away from Black.

 

As the last name was called, the Headmistress cleared her throat. The murmur that ran through the student body refused to cease. There was too much confusion to be silent now. Schedules passed over the tables, whispers grew louder and before long, chaos had erupted in the Great Hall amongst the seventh years. McGonagall sighed and held her wand to her throat, her voice booming out over everyone. Neely threw her hands over her ears. “Quiet please!!” The woman said, shaking her head as she pursed her lips in disappointment. “I’m aware you all have questions and they will be answered. The Ministry feels it is of the utmost importance that you receive half a semester of sexual and reproductive education. After the Christmas holidays, you will resume your study hours so you can concentrate on your NEWT’s. Now, if there are any questions, please ask them now.”

 

Nearly everyone raised their hand, including Neely. With a sigh, the Headmistress turned to the other House Heads and they shared a quiet word. Squaring her shoulders, the woman turned back to the students and held her hands up to them. “I will make this as clear as possible. There will be no extra credit, no demonstrations on one another and we will approach each subject with maturity and respect. Now, are there still any questions?”

 

Most of the hands that were raised dropped, including Sirius’ but Neely held hers high and rolled her eyes over Mal’s head. McGonagall pointed to her and Neely cleared her throat. “Why exactly does the Ministry think we need to take this course?”

 

“They feel you should learn these things from someone who is educated, rather than from fellow students.” A few more questions floated up but Neely didn’t pay any attention to them. It wasn’t like the Ministry to just spring things up like this. Had something happened from last year to now? It was no secret that students much younger than she was were experimenting sexually. That was to be expected but, there were rules in place all over Hogwarts...surely, no one was having sex at school. The thought seemed so bizarre to Neely. Who would want to have sex at school?

 

Mal turned to her and shook his head. “This is so messed up. Not only do we not have this class together but we have to listen to some old fart tell us about the birds and the bees!” He groaned and ran a hand through his messy hair. With a scowl, Neely reached over and smoothed it back down despite him ducking away from her.

 

“If there are no further questions, you may be dismissed--”

 

A hand shot up on the other side of Mal and Sirius stepped up on the bench glanced back at Neely and grinned like a fool. “I think there’s been a problem, Professor! You see, Neely Danton has this new class with me, but I don’t think she needs it.” Neely’s eyes bulged and her mouth fell halfway to her chest as she felt the blood rush to her face. She flung herself across Mal’s lap, her fits connecting with the back of Sirius’ thigh. He laughed but made no move to shut up or get down. “She already knows everything about Sexual Education and in fact, could probably teach us a few things!”

 

“Mr. Black, must you behave so immaturely?” McGonagall threw her hands in the air as Mal held Neely back as she tried to throw several more punches to the boy. He was quickly pulled into his group of friends as the Headmistress gave him three detentions for his outburst. It wasn’t near enough and Neely wanted to beat the smile off of his damn face. She glared at him as he walked passed, the threat of detentions meaning nothing to him. He gave her a wave and a wink before the snickering behind her made her whip around. Mal was hiding his smile behind his arm as he pretended to wipe something from his shoulder. He was laughing at her misery!

 

Neely snatched her books from the table and pointed a finger in his face. “We’re not friends anymore, Malcolm Reed.”

 

“Oh, come on, Neely. It was funny! You would have laughed if it happened to anyone else.” He followed behind her, throwing an arm around her shoulder that she instantly shrugged off. The seventh years divided up, heading off into the direction of their first class and Neely just wanted to get to Defense Against the Dark Arts and find a nice hole in the floor to crawl into. She glared up at her best friend and cursed him for laughing at her. “Yeah, but it didn’t happen to anyone else.” She grumbled before breaking off from him and heading toward her class. “I hate the first day of class.”

 

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 _ **AN**_ \- ( **See my profile for more information** ) I had this posted a _very long_ time ago on another website but it was taken down due to it being too...mature or something like that. So, after I got over being bitter about it, I decided it deserved a re-write because it seemed to be popular. Thank you for giving the first chapter a read and feel free to leave a comment :)  



	2. Going At It Alone

AN- Thanks to everyone for the kudos and comments! 

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It was hard for the whole lot of seventh years to concentrate on anything throughout the day except for that one particular class. The hours ticked by slowly, the minutes lasting extra long as the day progressed. For the rest of Hogwarts, life was going on as normal. First through sixth years all laughed and grouped up in the hallways, excitedly discussing their classes with their friends. No one seemed to notice that after each class ended, Neely Danton and her fellow seventh years became more and more pale. During lunch, no one had hardly spoken a word. 

 

She looked at the enormous, ticking clock on the wall in the Astronomy Tower, the pendulums ticking each second down. Only half an hour until she would be making her way down to the classroom. Mal was there now but he actually seemed interested in the class. He had talked fast as they ate during their lunch hour, asking questions that Neely had no answers for. Why were they being forced into this class, who would be teaching it, what would the classwork be like? He had drove her crazy with his questions and she eventually excused herself to her next class, unable to take his voice anymore.

 

And now, she was watching the clock every few minutes, wondering if time were standing still or going by far too quickly. She bounced her leg and tried to listen to Professor Sinistra introducing them to their NEWT level Astronomy class but it was going in one ear and out the other. How could she be expected to concentrate when there was so much anxiety already filling inside her head. She didn’t know why she was so nervous. Her best friend was a boy...there wasn’t much that she hadn’t heard about from him. 

 

It just seemed so...Muggle. Being raised by Muggles, Neely had grown up in both worlds and knew that Sex Ed was something in most high schools. But, there wasn’t much that leaked into the wizarding world aside from what they learned in Muggle Studies. She couldn’t imagine ever learning about it in that class though. Just as she tried to picture old Professor Ramsey with his enormous, gray mustache bobbing up and down as he described the reproductive organs, the bell rang. She hesitated and looked around at her classmates. No one seemed to be in too much of a hurry to head to their next class. 

 

Neely figured the faster she got there, the sooner it would be over and she could find Mal and vent to him. She gathered her things and hurried out of the room, rushing down the curved steps of the Astronomy Tower. With her eyes concentrating on her feet, she didn’t realize she was colliding with someone until her bum hit the steps and her books scattered across the landing. She looked up into the face of Sirius Black as he turned to scowl. At the sight of her, his frown turned into a smile and he shook his head, stooping to grab her text books. Neely quickly smoothed her skirt down her legs and grabbed the railing to haul herself back on her feet. “If you wanted to grab my arse that badly, you could have just asked, Neely.” Sirius said with a smirk, holding her Astronomy book out toward her. 

 

She snatched it up and purses her lips, not exactly in the mood to have a fight. Besides, she was still pissed about his outbursts that morning. “I’d rather eat Filch’s underpants than ever touch your arse.” She stuck her tongue out at him as she pushed past the boy, cursing as he followed her. He dropped an arm over her shoulder, not even phased as she jerked away from him. 

 

“I wouldn’t do that, Neels…there’s no telling what his shorts have been through.” The crowd in the hallways had thinned out during the evening hours. Most of the younger years were using the last hour of the day as a free period before dinner and Neely was thankful. As much as she wanted to see Mal, she was enjoying the time before Sex Ed to work through her nerves. Or, she would have been enjoying it had she not attracted the world's most annoying twat. She picked up the pace and held her books tightly to her chest, rounding the corner to the stairwell. “Don’t be in such a rush. We have plenty of time to make it to class.” Sirius called behind her but she was already hurrying ahead of him. 

 

Why was he even hanging around her? Didn’t he had some bimbo to flirt with or friends to make his dumb jokes with? Neely hurried into the spare classroom that had been designated the new Sexual Education room. There were posters on the walls of a naked male and female, one from the front and the other from the side. Neely felt her cheeks burn at the sight of their anatomy and she slipped into a table at the back of the room. There were two chairs to each table and she hoped no one would want to sit by her. 

 

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. As more people filed into the room, the one person she didn’t want, pulled the empty chair out from under the table and sat beside her. Sirius blew a breath out, making a strand of black hair hover for a second before settling back down across his nose. He shook it away from his face and turned to glance at the other students from over Neely’s head. “Sucks that I’m stuck in here with just you.” 

 

“You don’t have to sit by me, you know.” She said with a roll of her eyes, turning to open her notebook of parchment paper and occupying the next few minutes with scribbling her name at the top. “Who else would I want to annoy?”

 

“Jee, I don’t know. You already annoy every person in this school.” Neely rapped the end of her quill against her lip as she contemplated his question. “You could pick anyone.”

 

“No one gets as bent out of shape as you do.” Sirius poked his middle finger into her ribs and she had to bite her tongue to keep from shrieking. Thankfully, the last student made their way in and the door at the back of the classroom opened. Whispers filled the room as Professor McGonagall stepped in, tapping the tip of her wand down on the table at the from of the room. A stack of textbooks appeared out of thin air, and with a flick of her hand, they floated gently to each student.  Neely took one and stared at the rather boring cover. Brown leather stretched over the front flap and gold letters were stamped into it spelling, ‘Your Magical Body’. God, even the title made her cringe. She took a peek at the first few pages, surprised to see the same diagrams from the posters on the wall, up close and personal. Neely slapped the front cover closed with a thump and glanced to the boy at her right. He was flipping through it, pausing to curl his lip at a particularly nasty picture of some sort of disease. “Look at this!” He turned it toward her, eyes wide and tongue stuck out in disgust. Neely turned before she could see all of it but was very aware that it was a certain area of the male anatomy.

 

McGonagall cleared her throat and clasped her hands behind her back as she stared hard at the students. “First and foremost, if any of you think this will be a class in which you can goof off and be immature, then you should just leave now. I won’t be tolerating any foolishness.” Neely turned to look at the one sitting beside her, expecting him to just walk out now. He sat still and ignored her surprised expression as he read through a section in the back of the textbook. 

 

“Now, this class is meant only to inform you but will be taken seriously. At the end of each chapter, there are a set of questions that you can answer and these will be collected for your grade. If during the lessons, you have a question, please don’t be afraid to speak up.” She glanced at the students from over her half-moon glasses and gave a small nod before taking a seat at the front of the class. She opened the front cover and took a deep breath. Before the poor woman could even start, Sirius’ hand shot into the air. Neely swore under her breath, vowing to kick him where it would truly hurt if he decided to embarrass her this time. 

 

McGonagall sighed and slipped the glasses off of her face before letting him speak. “I was just wondering if you’d be alright with letting us work with a partner to answer these questions.” Oh. He had an actual question. Neely was pleasantly surprised and turned back to the Professor to wait for the answer. “Or will we be expected to do it alone?” A few of the boys hid their snickering behind their arms as McGonagall folded her hands over the pages laying before her. 

 

“Alone, Mr. Black. But, I’m sure you’re quite used to being alone when it comes to matters of this nature.” 

 

Neely felt her jaw hit her chest as she was unable to contain her laughter. The entire class turned to laugh at the boy but he didn’t seem bothered by McGonagall’s retort. He folded his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair, giving the woman a small nod as a touche. The lesson continued and was nothing more than an introduction to the course, outlining exactly what they would be learning. The majority of the book was proper bathing and health advice though toward the end of the semester it would be getting a bit more in depth. Neely was thankful when the last bell of the day rang and they were dismissed to head to dinner. Just as she made it into the hallway and took a deep breath, an arm fell back over her shoulder and she turned to scowl up at Sirius. “You know, we could do some extra studying in the Astronomy Tower.”

 

“Ugh,” Neely shrugged out from under his arm. “You’re a pig. Why would I  _ ever _ want to do that with  _ you? _ ” She shook her head and together they headed down the labyrinth of stairs, waiting for one to get come around that would lead them to the Great Hall. Sirius stretched his arms above his chest as he yawned, a mischievous smirk still twisting the corners of his lips up. 

 

“Some say I’m quite gifted.”

 

“I’ll take their word for it.” Neely stepped off the stairs, turning to glance back at him. He stopped to lean a shoulder against one of the portraits, ignoring the woman in the painting as she complained and swept her broom toward him. “You not coming to dinner?” 

 

“Well, I figured I’d head up to the Astronomy Tower and see what kind of mischief I can get into.”

 

Neely rolled her eyes with a shake of her head. “Have fun going at it alone.” 

 

“Oh, Neels. I’m never alone when I have thoughts of you helping me along.” Sirius smirked and nodded over her head as James Potter jogged over toward them. She held back a gag and whirled back toward the Great Hall, trying to shake off the mental image that he had put in her head. Ugh, picturing Sirius Black doing  _ that _ . There went her appetite. Inside the Great Hall, the plates had already appeared and she was thankful for the empty seat beside Mal. He had already dove into the food, not waiting for her to join him.

 

Neely slid into the bench next to him, the sight of the food before her making her hunger return in full force. She reached to the bowl in the middle of the table and grabbed a handful of orange slices and a piece of toast. “So? How was it?” Mal asked, his mouth full of some sort of chicken. Neely gave a shrug and stuffed her own mouth with her fruit. 

 

“Not too bad. A bit boring actually. I was expecting something much worse but the only bad thing is Sirius Black sat next to me.” 

 

“That blows. I can’t believe some of those pictures! I saw one disease that was caused by oral--”

 

Neely held up her hand, her head filling with the picture that Sirius had stuck under her nose an hour before and she felt her stomach turn. “Mal! Please! I’m trying to eat.” He chuckled at her being grossed out and stuck his fork in his mountain of potatoes. She watched him eat for a moment and decided that she would just wait for breakfast. Her appetite had once again been ruined. Folding her arms over her chest, she glanced up the table and wondered if Sirius had made his way to the tables. He, nor the other three boys who seemed to hang on his every word, were there. Maybe they all went to the Astronomy Tower together. Neely scoffed and wondered if she could start a rumor. 

 

“You gonna eat that?” Mal asked, pointing the tip of his fork toward her orange slices. He scooped them up before she could answer.

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	3. Answers

After two weeks, the excitement and anxiety surrounding the seventh year’s new class had fizzled out. It had become just another boring hour with a slightly more embarrassing subject matter. Even being forced to sit next to Sirius Black had become just another monotonous thing Neely had to do for the week. She had learned that ignoring him was a better revenge than retaliating and he had pouted when she sat there, doing her work instead of rolling her eyes or elbowing him in the ribs to get him to shut up. The first two weeks of classes had been difficult to get back into the groove of things but it was finally Saturday and a Hogsmeade day at that!

 

Nothing was going to get her down today. She was due to meet Mal in the common room and she was thrilled about being able to go to Honeydukes and get a big bag of their salt water taffy! It had been calling to her all summer and she was planning to buy several bags to send home to her parents. If she didn’t eat it all first. As she twisted her hair into braids that hung from either side of her head, she straightened her sweater and hurried down the stairs to the common room.

 

Neely rounded the corner and spotted Mal, fixing his hair in a small mirror hanging beside the portrait hole door. His shirt was ironed, dressed in a new pair of pants and his hair was actually styled? He had a date. Neely groaned as she stepped up to him, folding her arms over her chest. “Seriously?” She asked, looking pointedly up at his hair as he grinned at her reflection. “I thought we were doing Hogsmeade together today.”

 

“We were but, Mary Howard told Susan Jenkins that Karen Kriss was interested in me so I had to ask her out You can come along..” He suggesting, not sounding to be very thrilled of that idea before he smoothed his hair back down behind his ear. She sighed and shook her head, still confused as to who in the world he was actually going out with. “And be your third wheel? No thank you.”

 

“You made me be your third wheel over the summer.”

 

Neely rolled her eyes. “I was babysitting a three year old! That’s not the same as tagging along and having to see you snog Mary Howard or Karen Jenkins.” She had never heard of any of those girls but that wasn’t too much of a surprise. If it didn’t involve her or Mal, she wasn’t usually associated with it. Neely hadn’t exactly made the most friends through her years at Hogwarts and it never bothered her until times like this and then it bit her right in the ass. “Karen  _ Kriss _ . I’ll make it up to you. I’ll buy you a bag of taffy.”

 

“Fine.” She pointed a finger up at him. “But, next time, I’m dragging you to Tomes and Scrolls for the entire day!” 

 

Mal laughed before leaving her alone in the common room. Well, not alone. All the other students wanting to go were pairing up and gathering into groups of friends. If she didn’t promise to send a bag to each her mum and dad, she would have blown the whole day off. But, maybe getting out of the stuffy castle would do her some good. Besides, she was already dressed and was far too stubborn to go back up the stairs and change into her PJs. 

 

The walk to Hogsmeade made Neely regret her decision to go alone. It was hard enough to see Mal already getting so close to Karen or Mary or whoever she was. Wasn’t this their first date? Who was she to just swoop in and steal someone’s best friend? Neely grumbled and crossed her arms over her chest as she headed into town. The streets were absolutely packed for the day and she stepped aside a few third years as they argued about where to go first. 

 

The first Hogsmeade trips were always like this, with the younger kids running around like chickens with their heads cut off and the older students acting as if they were far too cool to get excited over things. She noticed several Slytherin girls sneaking off behind the Quidditch supply shop to share a cigarette they had smuggled in before turning toward Honeydukes. It was overrun with people, kids and adults, all fighting to fill their bags with candy.

 

Damn. She wasn’t even going to try to fight through that mess right now. Hopefully by the end of the day, the shop would thin out and she could slip in, get her taffy, and be out without having to fight off rabid thirteen year olds. Which left only two places that she was even remotely interested in; Tomes and Scrolls and The Three Broomsticks. She was sure Mal had taken his date to the latter and so she turned to cross the street toward the bookstore. A pair of hands being held between a couple hit around her midsection as she spun toward the street and she stumbled back against a lamp post. 

 

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” The girl said just as her boyfriend scowled down at Neely. She immediately recognized him as Sirius’ lackey James Potter and his girlfriend Lily. He stepped around her without saying a word and Lily smiled apologetically before grasping his hand again, leaving Neely to stare after them on the sidewalk. She wondered for a moment if Sirius had been ditched behind like she had but was quickly pulled out of her thoughts by a pair of cold hands sliding around her eyes. “Guess who!” The familiar voice called and she let her shoulders drop with a sigh.

 

“Dumbledore?” She asked before Sirius’ hands fell from her face and he stepped in front of her. 

 

“Guess again.” He beamed, holding his arms out as if he were presenting himself to her as some sort of gift. Neely crossed her arms over her chest and let her gaze travel from his long hair piled into a bun on top of his head down to his oversized Quidditch shirt and corduroy trousers. She couldn’t help giggling at the sight of him. “You look ridiculous!” 

 

“Well, you’re nothing special to look at either. Who are you trying to be, Pippi Longstocking?” He flipped one of her braids over her shoulder and she scowled up at him. 

 

“How do you even know what Pippi Longstocking is?” She smoothed her braid back down and crossed her arms over her chest. Sirius stepped closer to her to avoid being trampled by a stampede of younger kids fueled by all of the sugar Honeyduke’s could offer. He ignored their shouting and gave a shrug. “Saw it on TV. Where’s that bloke you’re always trailing after?” He looked over her head toward the Three Broomsticks and Neely rolled her eyes.

 

“I am not always trailing after him. He’s my best friend. And his name is Mal. He’s just on a stupid date right now.” She couldn’t hide the bitterness in her voice and Sirius nodded, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his trousers. 

 

“You fancy him or something?”

 

“God, no!” She didn’t know whether to laugh or gag at the thought. There was a brief moment in second year where she had a crush on Mal but that ended fast when she saw him pick his nose. They had been just friends ever since and she was sure he had never fancied her either. Their parents had been neighbors for years and she and Mal both grew up together. His parents were the ones to really help ease them into the wizarding world when Neely got her letter. “We’re just friends.”

 

“Good. James is too busy sucking face with Evans and I’m bored. You wanna get into some trouble with me?” He grinned wolfishly and Neely suddenly felt nervous. Whatever trouble he was talking about, she was sure she didn’t want any part of it. Then again, she was awfully bored and had no one else to keep her company. 

 

“If you suggest anything sexual, I’ll punch you in the face.” She warned, trying hard to keep a straight face as she let him lead her down the street. Sirius laughed with a shake of his head, glancing around the streets before pulling her by the elbow down a narrow alley. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re awfully violent?” 

 

They had. 

 

Mal reminded her almost on a weekly basis that she was too rough for a girl but she only shrugged and brushed him off. Maybe she should tone it down if it was noticeable by other people now too. With a blush creeping along her cheeks, she shrugged. “Maybe once or twice.”

 

Sirius glanced back at her with a smirk. “I like it.” 

 

Neely rolled her eyes but didn’t threaten to hit him and instead let him take her by the wrist and lead her around the back of several of the buildings. There were several trash bags that were tied up with flies buzzing around them. From the smell of them, it seemed they were making their way behind the Three Broomsticks. Sirius kept close to the stone building and glanced around to make sure they wouldn’t be seen before he pulled her around the back. Trees were pushed almost right up against the back door of the pub but a rather rusty looking spiral staircase was leading up to the second floor. 

 

Neely watched her new friend start up the stairs, pushing a finger to his lips to tell her to keep quiet. At the top of the staircase was a closed door and a window that was cracked open a few inches. “Where are we going?” Neely whispered as she followed him up.

 

“This is where the professors go to talk about the students. Sometimes they get drunk and start singing.” His eyes sparkled with excitement, completely opposite of what Neely was feeling. She had never been in trouble with any of her professors. Well, nothing more than being scolded for talking in class or passing notes. Would this be a punishable offense? She was sure there were detention slips already being written with their names on it but she continued on until Sirius sat on the top step, pressing himself to the wall. He pointed to the open window and nodded for her to take a seat just below him. 

 

Neely laid as close to the staircase as possible, not wanting to be seen. It wasn’t long before she could hear footsteps on the inside of the building and the murmur of hushed voices. She recognized one almost immediately as Professor McGonagall. “You’ve got to be joking, Minerva.” Another woman said.

 

“Mm. It’s true. The Ministry met two weeks before school and demanded we include the class.”

 

Both Neely and Sirius shared a look and she let her jaw drop. Never in a million years did she think they would hear something this juicy! Her heart pounded as she crawled closer to the top, her back pressing against Sirius’ knees. He put a hand over her mouth to keep her quiet and she left it, too interested in the conversations going on in the room. 

 

“But, they’re far too young to be learning this kind of thing, aren’t they?” A man said.

 

“Not according to the Ministry. They spoke to a parent of a girl last year and she was furious about what had all happened.”

 

“What happened?” A man asked and they could hear a couple of glasses clinking. Were they pouring more drinks? Maybe they were all getting drunk to deal with the Ministry pushing this class on them. McGonagall was the next to speak. “One of the girls who graduated in May is pregnant...and apparently she was active during her last few months at Hogwarts.”

 

There was a collective gasp that sounded from around the other professors and both Neely and Sirius shared a wide eyed gaze. Someone got pregnant at Hogwarts? This was becoming more and more outrageous by the second. Both of them leaned closer to the window, needing to know everything. “Well, who was it Minerva?”

 

“I shouldn’t say.” Something in McGonagall’s tone made it clear that she was going to say anyway. “But, if the Ministry already knows, there’s no point in hiding it. Her name was Wendy Lowery.” From behind Neely, Sirius gasped loudly and slapped his own hand over his mouth. He looked down at her and for a brief moment, they both froze. She couldn’t tell if the professors had heard him or not. She was having trouble hearing anything but her own heart beat in her ears. Not waiting around to get caught, Sirius grabbed her hand and rushed down the staircase, taking the steps two at a time. 

 

Neely stumbled behind him, confused, afraid of being caught, and breathless as they ran right out of Hogsmeade, not stopping until they were on the road back to Hogwarts. He finally let her hand go and pushed his fingers into his hair. “What are we going to do?” He cried, pacing back and forth as she doubled over, her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. 

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“Did you not hear what she said? Wendy Lowery is pregnant!” 

 

Neely stood up and threw her braids over her shoulders, watching him as he stomped up to her and took her by the arms. “So what? We have to take a dumb class for the next four months. It’s not that big of a deal.”

 

“Wendy Lowery was dating  _ James _ at the end of last year! He got her pregnant!”

* * *

 

AN- Oh dear, poor James! Thanks for all the kudos and comments so far!


	4. Owls

Neither Neely nor Sirius spoke for the next half hour. There wasn’t anything they could say. The shock of what they had heard hadn’t even settled in their minds and she couldn’t help regretting their decision to snoop around. If they had kept their noses out of things, they would be continuing on their merry way, none the wiser. But, that wasn’t necessarily better. James Potter could be a father and the thought sat as heavy as a stone in Neely’s gut. She took a deep breath and sat next to Sirius on a fallen log on the side of the road leading out of Hogsmeade. 

 

“I think we have to tell him.” Sirius sighed and dropped his head into his hands. “He has a right to know.” 

 

Neely chewed her lip and looked back toward the little village on the hill. Somewhere, James was snuggling up to his girlfriend, laughing and kissing her and had no idea that he could be a father. “I agree. I mean, maybe we’re blowing this out of proportion. She could have cheated on him. It might not even be his.” Neely glanced down at her watch and frowned. It was two hours before they were due back at the castle and she wondered if she could make an excuse to leave Sirius behind. She didn’t want to be there when he broke the news to the poor guy. 

 

“Maybe…” He trailed off and frowned at the trees across the road from them. “Do you think you could tell him?”

 

“Me?” Neely asked incredulously. “Why in the world would I be the one to tell him? ‘Hello, James! I know you’ve never spoken to me a day in your life but I think you’re the father of your ex-girlfriend’s baby! Just thought you oughta know!’” She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head at the boy. What was he thinking? “Hell no, I won’t tell him. It needs to come from  _ you _ . You’re his best friend, Sirius.” He nodded solemnly, the misery clearly written across his face. She almost felt bad for him.

 

With a sigh, she kicked her feet out in front of her and crossed her ankles. A few of the older kids were starting to make their way toward the castle. The appeal of getting a day away from Hogwarts had worn off for them and they shared their purchases as they walked past the pair of Gryffindors sitting by the road. Once they were far enough away out of earshot, Sirius heaved a sigh. “What if he gets angry? He’ll never speak to me again.”

 

“Why?” She hissed, eyeing the next group of students making their way toward them. A group of girls all hushed at the sight of Sirius, giggling amongst themselves as they passed by. “It’s not like you got her pregnant.” Neely mumbled once she was sure the girls were far too wrapped up in their crushes on Sirius to hear anything she said. How pathetic were they? Much too young and yet still completely enamored by the sight of a cute boy. Was the whole school full of charged up, hormonal teenagers these days?

 

“Yeah, but everyone always shoots the messenger, don’t they? I don’t want to be the messenger!” Sirius snapped, crossing his arms over his chest like a petulant child who had just been told to clean his room. Throwing her hands in the air, Neely stood and stepped in front of him. 

 

“Well, he’s got to know the truth! And if he doesn’t hear it from you, he might hear it from  _ her _ . How would he feel if he found out you knew the entire time and didn’t tell him? Hmm?”

 

“Neely, shut up.” He snapped and jumped to his feet, his gaze focused on something behind her. She whirled around and felt her stomach clench tightly in her gut. As if a sign from the heaven’s above shown down, James and Lily walked out of the village and headed toward the pair, hand in hand. They were laughing at something but caught sight of Sirius first before glancing to Neely at his side. James’ eyebrow raised as he glanced between them both. She couldn’t help but get the impression that he didn’t like her. Feeling rather awkward knowing he could have gotten someone pregnant, Neely glanced down to her feet and tried not to think about how horrible it was to be forced into parenthood at such a young age.

 

They passed by them, mostly making small talk to Sirius and keeping it quick. Judging by the red tint to Lily’s mouth, they hadn’t exactly been spending their day at Hogsmeade sipping tea and chatting. A twinge of jealousy hit Neely like a brick to the back of the head and she scowled at herself. She wasn’t necessarily jealous of Lily. James Potter wasn’t exactly her favorite person but, it would be nice to spend the weekend with someone special, kissing them and sharing conversations. The couple hurried toward the castle, leaving Neely with Sirius who dropped back down onto the log in defeat.

 

“He’s going to murder me.”

 

She rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand, pulling him back to his feet. “He is not. He will appreciate the fact that his friend cared enough about him to tell him. Now, come on.” She took his arm and draped it over her shoulder the way he usually did when he was trying to annoy her. She held onto his side as another group of students ran past them, firing prank wands at each other and dodging the spray of goo than exploded out of the tip. Sirius paid no attention to them and heaved another miserable sigh. “Let’s just go back to Hogwarts and try to sort this all out.” Neely patted him on the back reassuringly. 

 

“Right. We just need to think about this.”

 

Neely wasn’t sure when this exactly turned into a ‘we’ sort of deal but she knew he was too torn up to be thinking clearly. She felt bad for him. As confident and sure of himself as Sirius appeared to be, she could tell he cared a lot about what James thought of him. He would be utterly lost without his partner in crime and Neely seriously did not want to be around a moping, moody Sirius. He was already a handful to deal with when he was being a pervert or his usual annoying self. She wished there was a way for them to solve this and involve the least amount of people possible. For all they knew, Wendy had gotten pregnant after she had graduated. Giving a shrug, Neely looked up toward the castle. “I mean, we can always send her an owl and see if she’ll tell us the truth.”

 

Sirius stopped in his tracks, making the poor girl nearly fall back as her arm was still wrapped around his torso and his around her shoulders. Stumbling back, she glanced up at him, blinking in surprise. “Neely, you’re a genius!” He smacked a kiss to her cheek before gripping her wrist and pulling her quickly toward the castle. Neely was struggling between having to run again and trying to wipe off the feel of his lips against her cheek. She tried to pry her hand free but his grip was tight and unwavering. He didn’t stop running until they had reached the Owlery. Out of breath and eyeing the tower warily, Neely tugged her hand back to her body and resisted the urge to kick him across his shins. “You go on, I’ll wait here.” She said with a gulp.

 

He raised an eyebrow as he pulled a spare piece of parchment from one of the boxes on the outside of the door. Quills were stuck in tiny holes that had been chipped into the stone, constantly dripping black ink. Sirius snatched on and pushed it and the paper into her hands. “You ask. You’re a girl.”

 

“Nice observation but no.” Neely pushed his hands back and rolled her eyes as he returned them, shaking the quill and parchment. Defeated, she snatched them from his hands and used the stone railing to scribble the note. What would she even say? ‘Heard you were pregnant! Just curious to know who the father is!’ Rubbish. From her left, a chin rest uncomfortably on her shoulder and watched as she addressed the letter to Wendy. “I thought girls were supposed to have pretty handwriting. I can write better than that.”

 

Neely scowled at him and tried to ignore the fact that his face was far too close to hers. “Do you want to do this, then? I’ll be glad to let you.” He didn’t respond and she continued the letter, telling Wendy that they had heard what had happened and were concerned about her well-being. She decided not to even ask about James and instead would wait for a response before prying into her personal life. Signing it as Sirius, she rolled it up and handed it back to him. “You didn’t even ask if James was the father.”

 

“That would be incredibly rude. When she replies back, I’ll ask her.” Sirius nodded, accepting her answer before taking the last step into the Owlery. He paused and turned back to Neely, raising an eyebrow. 

 

“You coming?”

 

“I’ll just wait.”

 

“What, are you afraid of owls or something?” 

 

Neely didn’t respond. She felt her face flush with anger and embarrassment and turned away to stare out across the lawn to avoid the look on his face. It was the same one Mal had when he learned of her irrational fear. But, they’d be afraid of them too if they had been attacked at a young age. She crossed her arms over her chest as Sirius couldn’t help laughing at her. He held onto the wall to keep himself steady, doubling over at the waist. “How can you be afraid of owls? What are they going to do, swoop down and ruffle their feathers at you?” 

 

“I’ll have you know that I was attacked by an owl and I still have the scars to prove it!” She stomped her foot on the stone and lifted her chin in defiance to the insufferable git. There was no way he would believe her unless she showed him. Hooking a finger around the neck of her sweater, she pulled it past her left shoulder to reveal three distinct crescent shapes that were permanently etched onto her skin. She momentarily regretted wearing her pink bra as she caught a glimpse of the strap sitting against one of the scars, nearly covering it.

 

Sirius’ laughter died down and he reached out, pulling her bra strap to the side to look at all three scars. The smile across his lips made Neely feel a bit nervous and she had to bite her lip as her skin tingled under his touch. He pulled her shirt back up on her shoulder with a smirk. “Just a scratch. Bet it hardly even bled. Now come on, I won’t let the scary owls get you.” He nodded toward the room that smelled worse than she could imagine. Shuddering at the sound of the screeches and chirps, Neely followed him into the room. Hundreds of windows were carved into the walls where Owls perched. There were boxes set into the stone with straw stuffed inside so each bird had a place to rest and sleep. Mounds of straw and droppings littered the floor and Neely held her nose as Sirius called his owl. 

 

A massive bird came swooping down from the rafters above, its wings fluttering and making both her and Sirius’ hair blow. Neely threw her hands up around her head and fled out of the room, her heel slipping in a fresh pile of owl poop. Outside on the steps, she groaned and scraped the bottom of her boot on the corner of the stair. Sirius joined her, his owl perched on his forearm, the rolled up slip of parchment attached to its legs. She couldn’t help notice the wickedly sharp talons on its feet. She ducked as Sirius sent it swooping into the sky, snickering as she uncovered her head and watched it soar away. “You’re such a weirdo.” He said, throwing his arm around her shoulder. Neely let it stay this time.

 

* * *

 

Two weeks had passed without a response back from Wendy and Sirius still hadn’t found an opportunity to tell James. Each evening before their Sex-Ed lesson, Neely would pressure him to tell him, that he has to know the truth and that Sirius needs to be the one he hears it from and each day, she’d get the same response; a whine and another excuse. Sometimes he would beg her to do it but she refused. There was no way she was going to start that conversation. James already acted like he didn’t like her. 

 

Today was no different and Neely pursed her lips as Sirius sank further down in his seat as she questioned him when he was going to get around to telling him. Neither of them were paying much attention to the lesson that McGonagall was launching head first into. Hearing about proper diet and exercise wasn’t exactly that excited anyway. Sirius brought his text book up to his forehead as Professor McGonagall turned to the blackboard before he smacked himself twice with it. Neely snatched it from him and quickly glanced to the front of the class to make sure McGonagall’s scribbling hadn’t stopped. 

 

Neely set his book back down in front of him and scowled as he looked at her with an expression that was clearly miserable. “Why haven’t you told him?” She whispered as he rubbed a hand over his face. 

 

“How can I?” He said quietly, risking a glance to the professor who was still droning on about the importance of keeping their digestive tracts healthy. “He’s so happy and constantly with Lily. I can’t tell him in front of her. She’ll break up with him and he’ll blame me.”

 

“Why would he blame you? You’re not the one who was sleeping with someone unprotected, which by the way, is extremely irresponsible--”

 

“Miss Danton!” Neely sat up straight, her face turning a bright shade of pink as several students turned to stare at her. “Will you please cease your blabbering for a few minutes and pay attention?” Professor McGonagall pursed her lips as Neely sank down in her chair in shame. The woman turned back to the board and the lesson continued on. She sounded at her wit’s end and no one could truly blame her with what she had on her plate this semester. It was the first time Neely had ever been in trouble with McGonagall and she couldn’t help the sick feeling that sank in her stomach. 

 

Before she could even turn her attention back to the blackboard, a note fell onto the table in front of her. It was from Sirius.

 

‘ _ That’s not fair. Wendy is just as much to blame as James is _ .’ Sirius’ handwriting was prettier than hers. She frowned and dipped her quill in the ink before quickly responding but still trying her best to make her words neat.

 

‘ **_James isn’t the one who has to raise a stinking baby! In case you didn’t know, it’s not every girl’s dream to pop out 18 babies by the time they’re 30._ ** ’

 

‘ _ 18 babies? That’s impossible. _ ’

 

Neely rolled her eyes at him and glanced back to make sure McGonagall wasn’t looking their way. ‘ **_How would you even know?_ ** ’ She wrote and tossed it back to him, unable to hide her smile as he smirked at her response. 

 

‘ _ I’m quite familiar with the female anatomy. _ ’

 

Ugh, pig. ‘ **_I doubt that_ ** .’

 

‘ _ I am! I know exactly what a girl wants. I even know what you want.’ _

 

_ ‘ _ **_I don’t care if you think I want a pink and purple unicorn horn!’_ **

 

_ ‘I’ll show you my pink and purple horn.’ _

 

“EW!” Neely immediately slapped her hand over her mouth but it was no use. She had already shouted it and could only watch as McGonagall turned slowly on her heel, her eyes narrowed over the frames of her glasses. “Miss Danton,” She snapped the textbook shut with a thump. “Would you care to explain what made you shout in the middle of my lecture?”

 

Neely shook her head fearfully. She tried with all of her might to kick Sirius in the shin with the back of her heel but he continued snickering into his palm, not even trying to hide it. McGonagall turned her gaze to him. “Mr. Black, maybe you’d like to share what you find so funny?”

 

Oh no. Why would she do that? Of course, he was going to stand up and embarrass the hell out of Neely. Was McGonagall punishing her for disrupting her class a second time? Sirius cleared his throat and shrugged helplessly. “Miss Danton simply asked where babies come from. I felt it was my duty to inform her of the truth. Apparently, she couldn’t handle it.” 

 

She didn’t know how it was possible, but her face turned an even darker shade of red as she put her head in her hands and tried to hide beneath her hair. Maybe if she sat very still, she would disappear and people would forget she even existed. A couple of boys around the room chuckled and McGonagall quickly quieted them with a tap of her wand on her table. “No more interruptions. Miss Danton, if you have a question about anything we learn, please try to wait until after class.” She heaved a weary sigh and turned back to the board behind her, the chalk scribbling the rest of the lesson as she spoke from the book. Once the class had resumed taking notes, Neely punched Sirius as hard as she could in his shoulder without causing a disturbance. He flinched and rubbed at the spot, his eyes still twinkling from laughter. 

 

“You asshole.” She said as quietly as she could. “Now everyone thinks I’m some kind of dumb virgin!”

 

“You mean, you’re not?”

 

“I hate you.”

 


End file.
